Sunday, February 21, 2010

The word "homophobia" is employed by homosexual activists as a semantic weapon in the cultural war. Arthur Evans, co-founder of Gay Activist Alliance (GAA), explains how the homosexual movement came up with the word homophobia to characterize their opposition:

"By good fortune, George Weinberg, a straight psychologist who had long been a friend of our community, regularly attended GAA meetings. Watching with fascination our zap and the media responses, he came up with the word we had been struggling for - 'homophobia,' meaning the irrational fear of loving someone of the same sex....The invention of the word 'homophobia' is an example of how theory can be rooted in practice. The word didn't come from an arm-chair academic viewing the movement at a distance....Instead, it came from personal interactions among active, thinking people who acknowledged a shared value: the transformation of society for the better." (Arthur Evans, "The Logic of Homophobia," see here).

George Weinberg thereby classified moral opposition to homosexuality as a phobia: "I would never consider a patient healthy unless he had overcome his prejudice against homosexuality." (Quoted in Jack Nichols, "George Weinberg, Ph.D - Badpuppy's February Interview," see here).

For the homosexual activist, moral opposition to homosexuality is a "phobia." Even a mental illness. The use of the word "homophobia" as a semantic weapon is now being employed by The Catholic Free Press, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Worcester, Massachusetts. In an article entitled "How are we doing in this life" (February 19th edition of the newspaper), Diane Boover writes, "...racism, classism, sexism, and homophobia all show our tendency as human beings to diminish the other for reasons each individual deems justifiable."

There you have it. Those of us who are morally opposed to homosexuality are "homophobes" who are attempting to "diminish the other." Small wonder that when I wrote Bishop Robert McManus recently and expressed my interest in the Diocesan priesthood, I received no response. Apparently I am a "homophobe." And so are those at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In an Instruction entitled "Some Considerations Concerning The Response To Legislative Proposals On The Non-Discrimination Of Homosexual Persons," issued on July 22, 1992, the CDF had this to say: "'Sexual orientation' does not constitute a quality comparable to race, ethnic background, etc. in respect to non-discrimination. Unlike these, homosexual orientation is an objective disorder and evokes moral concern." (No. 10).

And again: "Including 'homosexual orientation' among the considerations on the basis of which it is illegal to discriminate can easily lead to regarding homosexuality as a positive source of human rights, for example, in respect to so-called affirmative action or preferential treatment in hiring practices. This is all the more deleterious since there is no right to homosexuality which therefore should not form the basis for judicial claims. The passage from the recognition of homosexuality as a factor on which basis it is illegal to discriminate can easily lead, if not automatically, to the legislative protection and promotion of homosexuality. A person's homosexuality would be invoked in opposition to alleged discrimination, and thus the exercise of rights would be defended precisely via the affirmation of the homosexual condition instead of in terms of a violation of basic human rights." (No. 13).

When the Bishop neglected to answer my letter was he diminishing me? Or is it considered "acceptable" to discriminate against orthodox heterosexual men who feel called to the ministerial priesthood?

I have never really trusted the CFP. But then, the paper has carried columns by various dissidents such as Fr. McBrien and Fr. Pennington. Not to mention its support for the dissident Women's Commission.

Paul, I am praying for you. Here in the United States many dioceses have been influenced by the homosexual movement. The same with many religious communities. Remember when Cardinal Arinze was heckled at Georgetown? He was labelled a "bigot" for defending the Church's teaching. You're in good company. The world accepts its own but faithful Catholics can expect to be shunned and excluded. And when we're not being ostracized, we're being accused of "hatred" and "intolerance." Before long anyone who kills us will be seen as doing a holy work.

The Catholic League put it nicely: "So this is what we’ve come to in America: religious objections to homosexuality, rooted in the Bible, natural law and the teachings of most religions, is nothing more than a pernicious phobia. Not too long ago, such objections simply constituted common sense. Looks like we need a college course, “Common Sense 101."

Leon Podles warns that Christianity is becoming feminized and writes, "If the feminization of the Church continues, men will continue to seek their spiritual sustenance outside the churches, in false or inadequate religions, with highly damaging consequences for the church and society....The inner life of the Church will also be weakened. The Scriptures and the writings of the Fathers will become more and more incomprehensible, and will be rewritten or ignored. Central Christian doctrines, such as the Trinity and the Atonement, are under severe attack, and may vanish from the popular consciousness of Christians, to be replabed by a self-worship that cloaks itself in Christian language." (The Church Impotent).

My brother-in-law left the Church because he couldn't relate with all the effeminacy he was seeing in the Church. Not to mention the radical feminists and all their strange agendas; "inclusive language," "Mother Goddess," and all that other claptrap.

I'm not saying I think he was right to leave. There is no valid reason to leave the Church. I'm just saying he didn't feel comfortable with his experience of Church. Masculinity is being relegated to the fringe within the Church. This is happening even in many mainline Protestant churches. Why does the Worcester diocese have a "men's conference" once a year? Because masculinity has been moved out of the Church and into another venue. The rest of the year it's not welcome at the parish level.

If you want to be a priest Paul - look into the IVE or Incarnate Word fathers. They have no limit on age and are an outstanding holy and orthodox order. My parish was given over to their care over a year ago and it is like a dream, an answer to many prayers. They will not turn you away and I believe all thier seminary is free (that is what I've heard, don't know that for fact) You would make a great and holy priest.

Paul, you say that you wrote the bishop of Worcester expressing an interest in the diocesan priesthood and received no reply. You are a resident of Manchester, New Hampshire. I do not know if you wrote the bishop there, but I do know that if you did, you would get a negative or no reply. I know of someone in New Hampshire who got a similar treatment. He concluded that he would have to try elsewhere and was fortunate that he had to go only as far as Springfield, Massachusetts.

Sanctus, thank you for that. I will contact them for more information. Anonymous, I am not entirely surprised that your friend (or acquaintance) has difficulty pursuing a vocation in Manchester. Orthodox candidates are routinely cast aside there as well. Sign of the times.

It's really a shame that the "Catholic" Free Press has decided to publish an article utilizing such an emotionally-charged word which is employed as a semantic weapon to silence moral opposition to homosexuality. But it doesn't come entirely as a surprise. The Worcester diocese tolerates the Newman Center in Fitchburg whose website is linked to NACDLGM - a "Catholic" organization which openly dissents from the Church's teaching on homosexuality and which distributes "gay" porn. A diocese which is losing its way.

I don't read it anymore. And I now forward my tithe to religious communities which are in union with Rome and do not promote such nonsense. I guess the CFP wants to cater to the radical homosexual community.

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About Me

Born in Bitburg, Germany,
Paul Melanson is a Catholic lay-philosopher and apologist whose work has appeared in many publications and websites including The Union Leader, The Wanderer, Seattle Catholic, Newsblaze, Helium, and Amazines. He has been interviewed by The National Catholic Register, the Southern Poverty Law Center and the television newsmagazine Chronicle.